Back pain affects every human to some extent. Causes of back pain can result from a number of issues, one of which is the rupture or degeneration of intervertebral discs due to aging, disease, herniations or trauma. Left untreated, the failure of a disc can lead to compression on the spinal cord or cauda equian. Many types of spinal irregularities can cause pain, limit range of motion, or injure the nervous system within the spinal column. These irregularities can leave the individual with numbness, pain, and weakness or in a state of permanent disability.
Spinal stabilization is an accepted method in alleviating chronic back pain caused by disabled disk material or excessive movement of individual vertebrae. Conventional stabilization techniques include fusing two or more vertebrae together to circumvent or immobilize the area to eliminate disc movement. Generally, spinal fusion procedures involve removing some or all of the diseased or damaged disc, and inserting one or more intervertebral implants into the resulting disc space. Many irregularities can be treated by immobilizing the failing disc or performing a discectomy. For example, treatment can include removal and replacement of an affected intervertebral disc with a prosthesis. For instance, the vertebral disk material which separates the vertebrae can be removed and bone graft material inserted into the space for interbody fusion. In addition to, or in place of, the bone graft material, a spinal implant may be inserted in the intervertebral space.
In certain applications, it is beneficial that a device is used which is capable of fitting within a confined space, wherein the device can be further adjusted in height and angular adjustment from one side to the other.